Real Stories

First-time buyers take advantage of incentives

Earlier this year, before Chris and Lauren were about to tie the knot, the young couple sought to make their dream of owning a home a reality.  For them, the timing of their home search was in sync with market conditions that suited the couple well. 

“We were saving for a while, and this just seemed like the perfect time to buy,” said Chris, a 26-year-old New Jersey native.  “The real advantages available out there outweighed anything we might have heard others worrying about.”

Key for the couple was record-low interest rates and the tax credit available for first-time buyers.

“The tax credit was a huge benefit,” Chris said.

Also important to their success, according to the couple, was the help they got from their REALTOR®, Sue. 

“Sue was amazing,” Chris said.  “As corny as it might sound, we saw her as a friend or that she was looking after us as if we were part of her family.  She would work around our busy schedules, showing homes to us in the early morning and late evening.  She guided us through the whole process – from the inspector to the mortgage broker.  We thought the process would be a lot worse, but it went perfectly smoothly.”

Now, Chris and Lauren are happy to have achieved their goal of homeownership and to be staying in the Garden State.  In a market that offered them a lot of opportunities, with affordable homes, a large tax credit, and low interest rates, they were able reach their goal – closing on their Avenel home in January. 

“I love New Jersey.  I was born and raised here, and wouldn’t think of living elsewhere.  Plus, the simple train commute to my job in New York City makes it such a convenient place to live.”

Recognizing the current market conditions afforded him the chance to buy, Chris continued, “Three or four years ago, we certainly wouldn’t have been able to buy.  Now is the perfect time to buy; there is a lot people can take advantage of.”